You can’t go it alone – March Madness has a key

By Steve Kraut, SteveKrautCoaching.com
A few months back I was watching highlights and following a game or three of the NCAA Basketball Championships – aka March Madness. The raw emotion these players pour into the game is amazing. Magical things happen – impossible to believe were not the sports world witnessing some astounding displays of athleticism. Fueled by the hearts and souls of the young men who play the game, the will to win was at an all time high. They depended on the gifts and talents of their teammates to reach the next level. Those of us who own a business make sustained efforts every year to provide for the welfare of our families; this for sure is a matter of the heart. There are long hours and weeks that may take us to our own brand of mental and physical exhaustion. We experience disappointments, defeats, successes, laughter, appreciative and maybe not so appreciative employees, some tears, pride in a job well done, grateful customers, and satisfying friendships.
Can you relate to the feelings of these young ball players who ache for a championship? Most likely a single day on your job does not produce that same kind of intensity; but if somehow you could condense the emotions of a month or your year into just 2 hours, you would no doubt feel the depth of what these players feel and so much more – that thrill of victory or the agony of defeat.
If you are wishing or hoping for an incredible 2013 business year (YOUR championship), start by welcoming the reality that you can’t go it alone! You must rely on a team – you can’t do it all on your own and still have a life! If running your business requires time away from the things you work to enjoy, then it’s time to make changes in how you do business.
So, where do you go from here? On the most fundamental level, you the owner must get free from (or dramatically reduce) in the trenches involvement in the business; and that’s not exactly an easy transition. It would be so much easier to run your business if only you could find another ‘you’ to help. Basically, that really is where you start. Needless to say, this is a change in business style and is understandably difficult for someone who has in the past been in total control of everything in their business and has relied on micromanagement to get things done. How you think about the business and your relationship to it is the first step. Business building changes can flow from there. It starts with you. So, if you’re looking to grow your business and get back some hours in your week, consider what follows to see if it fits:

Take a look around for the craftsmen and the potential leaders who work for you.
Pay attention to those you trust and rely on.
Decide if you believe they can lead and direct a crew with minimal oversight.
Then, take the time and make the sacrifices to train them, and hold them accountable to your standards – include in that good communication with your customers.
Finally, give them the autonomy they’ll need to become the leader of a self-sufficient crew.